


Edge of Heaven

by Letthemhateme



Series: Heaven [2]
Category: The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword
Genre: Angst, Feels, Ghirahim totally has a soft spot for him, M/M, More sassy too, Plot, Smut, more snark
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-04-17
Updated: 2016-12-23
Packaged: 2018-03-23 08:20:11
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 7
Words: 12,784
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3761308
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Letthemhateme/pseuds/Letthemhateme
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The sequel to Far From Heaven. Featuring snark, wit, blood, and lots of suffering, with a dash of Ghirahim doing the licky licky with that tongue. Smut. Violence. The usual stuff. This one has more plot and character development than Far From Heaven, and also a lot more in the way of feels.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prologue - Bad Romance

**Author's Note:**

> Bad Romance, I prefer the 30 Seconds to Mars cover.

“Boy, wake up.”

The hero slowly opened his eyes, batting lightly at the demon's hand. He heard a light growl emanate from the other and growled in response, lifting his head slowly. “What do you want? Why are you waking me up?” he demanded in a sleepy anger.

“You've been asleep for over half the day. I understand that you're tired,” the demon sighed, speaking slowly as if he were speaking to a child, “but you were kicking me. If I can't sleep, neither can you.” he said, suddenly smug.

As the blonde began to wake up properly, his surroundings slowly came into view. _Oh yeah... It's been a few weeks since we first came here._ He thought to himself, rolling over onto his back. The bed was soft beneath him. _I wonder if Zero was right when she said the darkness of this realm would change me. I don't know... I don't feel any different._ He lifted his hand up, studying the skin where the Triforce mark used to be.

He almost missed it.

Almost.

“How long are you going to stare at your hand, sky child?” the Demon Lord's weary voice brought him back to the present.

Shaking his head, Link looked up at him. “Have I changed? We've only been here a short while, but Zero said that the darkness here might change me.” he tried to keep any tell-tale emotion out of his voice, but judging from the demon's expression, he failed.

Ghirahim – propped up on his elbow beside the boy with his hair a mess, and still managing to look incredibly annoyed and a little frightening – narrowed his eyes. “Not noticeably. However... I did notice that your teeth are sharper and that you have a fondness for biting.” the demon frowned, lightly touching a bruise on the pale flesh of his throat.

Link blushed. No matter how much time he spent in the demon realm, it seemed he would never stop blushing at the demon's remarks. “So I'm not...” he shrugged, at a loss for words.

“Broken? Particularly traumatized by what you've seen? Not at all. You've become accustomed to my touches, but I'd hardly blame that on your location.” the white-haired demon snorted in amusement. “After last night... I'd go so far as to say you _crave_ my touches.”

The boy wondered if it would be possible to smother the melodramatic demon with one of the soft, downy pillows they rested on. Unfortunately, the demon seemed to know what he was planning. He shifted to straddle the boy, pinning his hands above his head. “I can't read your mind, but when you broadcast your plans so obviously...”

He struggled beneath the demon's grip, painfully aware of their proximity. “If I say please, will you let me go?” he managed, gazing up into the demon's tawny eyes. “Pretty please with sugar on?”

Laughing, the demon shook his head. “Unfortunately not, sky child. You'd have to beg better than that if you want me to let you go. If you really _want_ me to let you go.” he purred, shifting to kiss down the boy's neck.

Link laughed with him for a moment, tipping his head back to expose his neck. “That's hardly fair.” he allowed his eyes to slide closed at the touches. “You know I enjoy it too much to want you to stop.”

As they sank into the sheets together, he found himself wondering how far he had fallen.


	2. Metamorphosis

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Metamorphosis is by Blue Stahli, and is a really, really good song. *^*

Link and Ghirahim were sparring. Link was wielding the sword that now housed the Demon Lord, still amazed at how similar it was to the Master Sword.

Even through it was only a practice fight, neither he nor the demon were going easy on their opponent. A black dagger flew past his face, missing his cheek by a hair's breadth. The demon's power had originally terrified him, when they were still enemies. Now, it was exciting; he had a challenge.

He knocked aside the next wave of blades with the flat of his sword, his lips twisted into a grin as he felt the adrenaline coursing through his body. “Come on, Demon Lord. Are you losing your touch?” he teased, easily blocking the demon's rapiers to the side before slashing at him. If the demon hadn't moved back at the last second, the blade would've sliced him clean in half.

In response, Ghirahim let out a low growl and lifted his blades, slipping into the stance Link knew so well. The demon charged him, slashing at him horizontally with both swords.

Link wasn't too worried about getting hurt – ever since he came to the demon realm, he had begun to heal much faster than usual. But he still let out a cry of pain as he blocked one of the swords, the tip of the other sinking into his left shoulder.

The two of them were still for a moment, eyes locked. Then Link reached up and wrapped his hand around the blade, yanking it free of his shoulder. The moment the metal left his skin, he felt blood begin to soak his sleeve. But he ignored it.

Ghirahim eyed the wound silently before he readied his sword again, his other hand up to catch the boy's blade if it came at him. Once Link had forced aside the burning ache in his shoulder, he lifted the sword one-handed and leapt at him.

The two collided, blades clashing mid-air and locking. They fought against each other, trying to gain the advantage. Suddenly, the demon kicked the boy in the stomach, knocking him back. His eyes caught the blade falling from the sky child's hand as he drove the boy against the wall, his own blade sinking into his other shoulder.

Link cried out again and tipped his head back, panting heavily. The blade had missed the bone, but had gone through his shoulder and into the wall behind him, stopping him from sinking to the floor like he wanted to do.

With his left arm limp by his side and bleeding, his right shoulder pinned to the wall, it left him little room to manoeuvre. His blue eyes were open half way, betraying the pain he felt. But after a long moment, his lips twitched, a soft breath escaping him.

“What was that, sky child?” the demon asked, leaning closer but keeping his hand on the blade pinning him down. “I didn't quite catch that.” he looked rather smug. He always looked smug when they sparred. He always won.

“I said...” he met his gaze boldly, his left hand shifting by his side. The demon paid it no attention; the boy could hardly attack him with wounds like that, let alone defend. It was perfect. But Link raised his right hand, pressing his palm to the skin just below the diamond-shaped protrusion on the demon's chest. “Don't underestimate me.” he breathed.

The Demon Lord rose a pale brow at him, his eyes flicking down to his hand for the briefest of seconds before flicking back up to his face. “Then do you have some sort of trick up your sleeve, sky child?” he teased lightly.

In return, the boy simply smiled at him, and sank the tip of the demon's own dagger into his side. Ghirahim staggered back a little, hand going to the wound. “Well done, boy.” he chuckled softly, tugging the blade free. Less than a second later, the wound had stopped bleeding and was already closing over.

Stepping forward, he wrapped his hand around the hilt of the sword again, ever so slowly turning it. “But you're still pinned against the wall.” he whispered, delighting in the cries of pain that simple action wrought from the boy.

Eventually, he tugged the blade free and let the boy fall to the floor, examining the weapon before bringing it to his mouth and licking the blood from it. Once he seemed satisfied, he let both swords fade.

Link was slumped against the wall, his shoulders bleeding profusely. They would heal, as they always did. And when they did, the demon would carry him to the extravagant bathtub housed in the back of the equally extravagant mansion – one of the perks of being a Demon Lord with too much time on his hands. They would wash, then eat, then he would be allowed to roam the mansion if he pleased.

He felt the flow of blood beginning to lessen, the wounds slowly healing. His left hand twitched as feeling returned to it, the muscles knitting back together with only a faint, but still annoying, itching sensation.

Ghirahim kept his eyes on him, reaching out to help him to his feet once the wounds were fully healed. In a voice that resounded both in the sparring hall and inside the boy's mind, he spoke. _“You asked me earlier if you have changed since you came here. You are certainly different, there is no doubt about that... but the same traits that make up who you are are still there. You're too bright for the darkness to taint.”_ he admitted, his gaze distant as he lifted the once-hero in his arms.

Link looked almost ready to collapse, but he reached up to place his hand against the demon's chest. “But you're not too dark... for the light to help.” he whispered, his voice no more than a breath as he sank into oblivion.


	3. You Know What They Do To Guys Like Us In Prison

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> While the song I listened to is something different than the one I chose for the title (mostly because I wanted lyrics) they should both be listened to. So even if you don't like/know Homestuck, you should go listen to Black Rose, Green Sun – Homestuck soundtrack. No lyrics, but it kinda suited the theme I was going for.

Ghirahim had woken him early that morning, warning him that the demon realm was stirring. Something big was happening, and under no circumstances was Link to leave the safety of the mansion. He had snapped his fingers the moment he finished speaking, vanishing into nothingness.

So Link had practised with a bow for a few hours, confident that he hadn't allowed his skills to deteriorate. Only when he got tired of retrieving his arrows from the center of the target did he stop and rest.

He wandered the halls for a while. Eventually, he found himself back in the room he called his own. The clothes he had acquired on the way to the demon realm were still folded neatly on the desk, almost untouched. His blue eyes studied the bundle for a second, then he shrugged. There was no harm in it.

A few minutes later, he was clad in the clothes. They were the same style as his the uniform the Knight Academy in Skyloft had gifted him with, only instead of the light green, this uniform was several shades of green darker. The cloth seemed to be made of a material he'd never seen before; it shimmered in the light, and even though it had been folded for weeks, there was no sign of creases.

He inspected himself for a moment, then nodded in approval. Just as he exited the room, he felt a slight twinge in the corner of his mind – a corner the Demon Lord had come to possess. He lowered the barrier in his mind to allow the demon to speak to him.

“ _Boy. The demons are stirring – the true demons of this realm.”_

 

Link cursed under his breath and made his way to the entrance hall, snatching the sword that housed the demon and quickly belting it over his tunic. _“The demons? You said something about them before, about how your people were exiled, but those demons were already there and much more vicious.”_ he frowned, grabbing the set of pouches he carried. There were times his pockets seemed almost bottomless, when he considered what he could fit in them.

Outside the mansion, he could dimly hear thunder blooming. In Skyloft, he'd never seen a storm before, except from above the clouds. Now, especially in the demon realm, he had grown used to them – even fond of the storms. Rain began to lash the building, the thunder howling a strange duet with the wind.

Today though, it wasn't calming. Adrenaline shot through his veins, waking him fully and heightening his senses. Unlike when he first began to fight, his hands weren't sweaty and his body was relaxed, but not dangerously so.

“ _Sky child... Link. These demons are amorphous horrors. They won't hesitate to tear lesser creatures into tiny, quivering gooey bits. And if the rumors are true...”_ the voice faded slightly, an unhappy note being carried across in his tone. _“The demons don't possess much of a threat to the creatures already here... but if they found a recently activated portal leading back into the world of light...”_

He didn't need to finish his sentence. Link was already ready to go.

 

“ _We need to go back, Ghirahim. I'm not going to sit here while good people die.”_ he said fiercely, aware that the demon wanted them to stay low. _“If they go anywhere near the surface, then I'll slice them to ribbons.”_ his voice was ice cold, a tone that the Demon Lord had never heard him use before.

Before he had been forced to ally with the sky child, Ghirahim would never have considered returning to the world of light until the chaos was over. But now? Now, he felt like he owed the sky child that much, at least – an alien feeling. He didn't like it.

Being good made him itchy.

But he allowed his consciousness to speed towards the sword, becoming solid once he was close enough to the boy. “Well then, we should be going.” he said simply, trying to make his tone sound exasperated. “We're going to need some way to fight back, even if this plan is foolish. It's barely even a plan.”

Without waiting for an answer, he led the boy outside into the rain. Things were changing. He just didn't know if they were changing for the better.

 

There was tension between them as Ghirahim let out a piercing whistle, a large purple-black birdlike creature flinging itself out of the storm clouds. It landed heavily before them, its claws kneading the mud as it turned its head to fix them both in place with one large beady eye.

The Demon Lord gestured for the boy to go first, then leapt up behind him. He whistled again, lightly kicking the creature in the side to get it moving. Its beak snapped at the empty air before it shook itself, springing into the air with ease.

Despite being used to heights and often riding his own Loftwing, he didn't trust this creature to keep them in the air and not eat them. Or drop them. He wasn't sure which was worse. But it was faster than walking all the way to portal back to the surface. So he leaned back against the demon, one arm held before his face to shield his eyes from the stinging rain.

Soon they rose up above the stormclouds, the birdlike creature shaking itself as it glided through the air. Now that the blonde had a chance to get a proper look at it, he noticed that while its appearance seemed generally birdlike, its feathers were more like scales, and its wings were similar to the wings of Keese.

All in all, this creature was much more unsettling in the light.

Barely two hours later, they descended back through the stormclouds and landed roughly before the ruins that housed the portal. Link all but leapt off the creature, glad to be back on the ground and no longer available as a snack. The demon seemed amused by his reaction as he shooed the creature away, placing a hand on the boy's shoulder and leading him into the ruins.

 

When they exited the portal, the blonde was surprised to find the ground dry, and not a single cloud in the sky. His clothes were wet, but they'd dry soon enough. The odd material seemed to be waterproof as well as durable.

Just as the once-hero began to think of where to go first, the demon spoke up. “It might be advisable to visit Zero and Icarus first, gather what help you can before you leap head-first into the onslaught of questions your sure to be bombarded with once you return to your people.” he spoke derisively, waving a hand loosely in his direction.

But Link nodded in agreement, unusually quiet as they began to walk once more. He was lost in his thoughts, pondering the last time he had encountered the strange couple.

**Zero's lips spread in a wide grin, her pointed teeth seeming even sharper than before as she lunged towards him. Their blades met in a shower of sparks, blue eyes meeting crimson. She spun quickly, the weapon arcing towards him again. He barely had enough time to block the blade with his own, his arms quivering from the strength of the blow... A pair of muscular, scarred arms wrapped around Link's middle, startling him. A boy a little older than him was grinning at him crookedly, short black hair swept back from his face... golden eyes... “I can tell how much power you have.” he taunted, a pair of silver gauntlets forming around his hands and wrists, the fingers tipped with claws...**

He shook his head slowly, brushing aside the thoughts. They had parted on good terms, even if the couple were... unusual, to say the least. Ghirahim glanced at him on occasion, looking like he was a little curious about what he was thinking. So he spoke up.

“What do you think about dreams? Do they have any meaning, or are they just something to be discarded and ignored?” he asked quietly, pinching the inside of his lip between his canine teeth – teeth that were a little longer and sharper than they had been.

**Visions assaulted his mind rapidly, invading his senses. He saw himself, a black blade across his back and a black outfit that replaced his usual green one. He wore a smirk on his lips, his eyes confident in his own power. The vision changed, showing himself sprawled across Ghirahim's lap, his hands tangled in the other's white hair and the demon's hand on the boy's hips. He wore nothing but his trousers and a pair of gloves, looking more regal than ever before, yet looking more like a pet with each passing second. Another image revealed him held loosely in Ghirahim's arms, the citizens of Skyloft bowing their heads in mourning as the demon walked past, the still boy hanging limply. Zelda tried to run after the demon, but was held back by a young man with red hair, his pompadour mysteriously absent. Tears streamed down her face as the man murmured something to her, trying to console her. Finally, the last image was of Ghirahim stepping in the way of an attack aimed at his sky child, his arms thrown wide with a snarl as he shielded the boy with his own body. He turned his head and looked Link in the eye, a pained smile on his white lips. “We are bound by a red string of fate, you and I... one that will be stained crimson with your blood!” he whispered.**

Ghirahim frowned uneasily. “Dreams... dreams are more than flimsy ideas. I think you should pay attention to your dreams, even if you don't like what they show you.” he admitted slowly, reaching one gloved hand up to brush his pale hair back a little. “But remember than dreams are exactly that: dreams. Things you desire, things you hate, things you fear... pay attention, but don't allow your dreams to control you.”

The hard expression in his eyes was hidden as he sped up slightly, now walking just ahead of the boy. He had seen the memory of his dream. And the demon was afraid.


	4. Fade Away

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fade Away is by 12 Stones. This is the last complete chapter I have written, at this time. I'm currently working on the next chapter, but it will take some time as I have university work to do as well as other things. I'll try to get out a chapter a week, at /worst/. I try to write at least a thousand words a day, which is roughly half a chapter. By that logic, I should be able to produce a couple of chapters every week. But since I have other stuff to do, it might be slower than that.

The sound of metal hitting metal echoed throughout the surrounding forest, golden eyes wild as the younger male leapt and spun around the open field. His partner let out a light laugh almost like birdsong as she dodged his attack with ease, twirling out of the way before bringing her twin blades down. Each sword caught a silver gauntlet, brushing them aside before she raised her booted foot, kicking the raven-haired male in the stomach.

He went sprawling back onto the grass, digging his claws into the ground to stop himself sliding further back. Grunting in begrudging approval, he got to his knees and lifted his head up. Recognition flashed into his eyes once he saw the pair standing by the edge of the field, letting his gauntlets vanish.

The instant he had disarmed, the woman lashed out at him. Her boot connected with his ribs, knocking him down to the ground once more. Judging from the exasperation on his face, that wasn't the first time he'd lost.

But Zero simply sheathed her swords and sat down. On the boy's chest. Folding her arms over her chest, she looked up at their guests and smiled. “Hello boys.”

Ghirahim tilted his head to the side as they approached. “Unfortunately for you, this isn't a social visit.” he said simply. “Do you know why we're here?”

The boy beneath her lifted his head a little, trying to buck her off for a moment before he sank back to the ground in frustration. “You want to know if we'll help protect this land from the demons, if they choose to invade.” he muttered, his voice a little breathless.

Zero didn't even glance at him as she got to her feet, pulling him up with her. “Even if I am a demon, this place is now my home. If any demon crosses through the portal, you can rest assured that we will fight back. And if it comes down to it... I will make more weapons and armor, for anyone willing to join us in the coming battle.”

The blonde – standing a little behind the Demon Lord – finally stepped forward. The weariness that had lined his face was still present, but he moved as if awoken from a dream. But before he could speak, Ghirahim interrupted him.

“How do you know what's happening in the demon realm? You haven't been through the portal in decades.” he narrowed his eyes slightly, and Link began to sense suspicion through the bond they shared.

Link touched the faint corner of his mind, directing his thoughts towards the demon. “ _Is she to be trusted? She is a demon, after all. How do we know that she'll actually help us?_ ” he demanded, resisting the urge to reach up and grasp the hilt of his sword. “ _For all we know, she could be plotting to kill us both._ ”

The demon didn't even look at the boy as he responded. “ _It wouldn't surprise me if she was planning on killing us. Stranger things have happened. But expecting betrayal, simply because she is a demon... You've placed your life in my hands several times though I have tried to kill you several times. I am a thousand times more likely to betray you than she is._ ”

“ _Was_.”

“ _Pardon, sky child?_ ”

Zero was speaking, saying that if they needed weapons or armor, they would know where to find her. Then she was retreating back inside the carefully constructed building she called home. The boy looked at them almost apologetically, but seemed to sense they were talking privately, so he averted his eyes.

“ _You were a thousand times more likely to betray me. But you've changed. You're not the same Demon Lord I first fought with. Just as I'm not the same hero of the Goddess._ ” his tone turned mocking. “ _I tried to be good, and I lost the approval of my friends and my Goddess. You tried to be bad, and ended up saving me more times than you tried killing me. What a pair we are._ ”

His eyes hard, the pale-haired demon leaned down and grasped the boy's chin. “ _Do not forget, if I wished to harm you, you would already be lying at my feet, begging for my mercy. It would be like old times. You, at my mercy. Me, merciless. Don't you miss those days, sky child? Things were much more simple then. You and I were enemies, to tear at each other like starving dogs until one of us falls. Boy, once this mess has been cleaned up, I will delight in breaking you apart._ ”

A shudder ran through down his spine, the hairs on the back of his neck rising at the demon's cold words. But he wrapped his fingers around the man's hand, meeting his gaze calmly. “There...” he exhaled, finally speaking out loud. “I was wondering where you had hidden the real Ghirahim. I've known you for a long time now. First as enemies, now as something more. I suppose I've learned how to read you. You can't lie to me any more.”

“I thought I made it clear that I wouldn't lie to you, sky child. Not when the truth hurts more than any lie I could construct.”

The demon almost sounded defensive.

“I know. But I think you're lying to yourself as well.”

“Lying to myself? That's absurd.”

“You don't want to admit that you've got a soft spot for me. I mean... when we first fought, I knew you wanted to hurt me. You were my enemy, it was to be expected. Most of my enemies either want to hurt me or eat me.” the boy shrugged. “But over time, I found that you and I are actually pretty similar. Not the same, but close enough that we're no longer enemies.”

The raven-haired male was standing off to he side, one hand raised. Every few seconds, he would form the silver gauntlet around his hand, study it, then let it fade once more. He was patient enough to wait for them, even if he did glance their way once in a while.

But Ghirahim let out a sigh, holding up a gloved hand to stop his companion. “Silence, boy. We'll speak more of this... later. For now, we have a land to save.” he said wryly, before he began to speak loud enough for Icarus to speak. “Icarus, tell Zero we'll send fighters here as soon as we reach them. There won't be many, but they'll be strong enough.”

The boy nodded, tilting his head to the side. “Ghirahim, Zero wants to speak to you. Privately.” After the demon had left, he spoke up again. “Link... I want to thank you. After what you said, the last time you were here... it really helped. I let my light dim. Take my advice, you don't want to let that happen to you. It feels good, to let it fade. Like you're setting down a burden. But it's not good at all. The darker you get, the harder it is to return to the light.”

Link seemed taken aback at his words; he hadn't expected that at all. But before he could respond, the boy spoke again.

“As you're naturally part of the light, it will be easier for you to be good than, say, a demon. Ghirahim's light will never be able to become as bright as yours. If he tries, it will warp and twist him in terrible ways.” his eyes were sad. “The easiest thing for you to do would be to kill him before he comes too close to the light, or...”

The blonde's eyes had narrowed faintly. For a reason he didn't quite understand, he was defending the demon. “I refuse to kill him. You talk about light and dark, as if the two are completely separate. Zero's a demon, and yet she's been here – and good – longer than Ghirahim.” he pointed out.

Icarus grimaced, lowering his gaze. “She's.. not dangerously bright yet. But she will be soon. And I will be forced to kill her... it's either that, or I put her in a position where she chooses the darkness over the light.” his voice was almost a whisper, sounding incredibly heartbroken.

Link was silent this time, trying to understand what the other meant. But before he could ask him outright, Ghirahim appeared beside them. “Boy, we need to leave.”

The raven-haired male sank into a slight bow, then turned and walked back inside.

As they began to walk again, Link found his mind occupied with what Icarus had said.

 

Forcing Ghirahim to choose the darkness over the light. He didn't know what it meant, or how he was supposed to go about it. He'd never been good at riddles. Navigating traps and puzzles in a dungeon was one thing – deciphering a cryptic message was another. He mostly relied on blind luck and instinct to get by.

He doubted he could kill the demon. Not now, anyway. Maybe a few months ago, when the blood in his veins was still boiling over Zelda's disappearance. Now, he couldn't even work up enough anger to get mad at Icarus for giving him such a confusing message.

Yet strangely enough, he could get angry enough to defend Ghirahim. If someone had told him, before he left Skyloft, that he'd spend weeks hunting down Zelda and constantly battling the Demon Lord, only to become friends with him...

Why, he would've hit them. Or laughed, depending on his mood and how early it was in the morning.

But now he refused to even think of killing the demon. Link was no coward, or a traitor. The only way he would kill the demon is if the demon betrayed him first, and tried to kill him. Only then would he go that far.

As for forcing him to choose the darkness over the light...

He frowned, thinking backwards.

If he needed to make Ghirahim willingly choose to turn his back on the light, he'd have to make him go back to being the violent and sadistic demon he'd first encountered. And to do that, he had to find what had made him change, and reverse it.

His thoughts soured instantly.

The only thing that had changed – at least, the only obvious change – was that the Demon Lord had developed a soft spot for him. As for reversing that...

He had an idea.

 

By the time they stopped for the night (Link was all but stumbling along, eyes half closed), his thoughts had settled. The demon was silent as he threw his red cloak down beneath a tree, turning to look at the boy.

Now that he had a closer look at the man, there was a single black line crossing his cheek. For what seemed the hundredth time that day, he was interrupted. It was becoming a bad habit.

The man wrapped a hand around his throat, his pale lips twisting into the smirk he knew too well. He didn't say anything as he forced the boy to his knees, looking at him expectantly.

Link glanced up at him, somewhat baffled. Then his eyes drifted lower, the tips of his ears burning. Shame the Fireshield earrings didn't protect him from that kind of burning.

 

Ghirahim had invaded every one of his senses. He could taste the demon on his tongue, feel the demon's hands on his bare skin, nails digging into the most sensitive parts of his body. The musky scent of the demon was all he could smell, that cruel smirk below him whenever he opened his eyes, his own ragged moans alongside the demon's soft noises of pleasure.

His body was burning.

Light gashes littered his chest, some of them weeping blood, some not. Every time he leaned down to press his lips against the demon's, he could taste his own blood. He was losing himself already.

Every rough movement of the demon's hips had his vision fading, leaving him blinded by sparks of white and moving against him, hands splayed across Ghirahim's chest for balance. It hurt, but it was bliss. As his release swept through him, he sank down into the demon's embrace, his chest rising and falling rapidly as he tried to regain his breathing.

Link was content, for once. Actually content. Spent and exhausted, he was warm against the demon's chest. The cool night air soothed his aches and pains, though his body was being stubborn and refusing to heal quickly – one of the consequences of being outside the demon realm.

The Demon Lord gave a short laugh. “You know, I just had the most intriguing idea...” he began, his voice playful. “There's a type of spider in the demon realm, whose venom is rather... special. Rather than killing its victims, the venom causes the prey to feel intense pleasure, in every inch of their body.” he chuckled again, stroking his fingertips down the boy's spine. “By the time the venom spreads throughout the blood, the victim will be nearly begging to be eaten. When we return, I'll have to introduce you to it... up close. I know how you like gathering bugs.”

The once-hero barely nodded his response, too tired to move any more than that. But his lips slowly twitched into a frown. “How do you know that?” he asked sluggishly, not even bothering to glance up at him.

Ghirahim tilted his head to the side, surprised by the question. “You carry a bug net with you... besides, when I was tracking the Spirit Maiden, I once saw you chase a butterfly almost halfway across Faron Woods.” he laughed softly, his chest rumbling a little.

“You noticed that?”

“Of course I did. I watched almost every move you made on the surface. You spent a considerable amount of time chasing bugs and tumbleweeds, considering you had a Spirit Maiden to rescue.”

“I have my priorities straight, Ghirahim.” he said wryly, his voice muffled as he nuzzled into the demon's chest.

They were silent again, at least until the demon felt the need to speak up again. “I like hearing you say my name, sk– Link.” he smiled crookedly, leaning his head back against the cloak as he held the boy close, drifting into the sleep he didn't need.

“Goodnight, Ghirahim.” he whispered, his hand sliding up to rest on the diamond-shaped protrusion on the demon's chest. “Sleep well.”

With that, the once-hero of the Goddess slid into a dream-filled sleep.


	5. I Come Alive

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello! It's been almost a year since I last posted anything, and for that I apologize. D: I've been busy with university work amongst other things, and I just haven't felt the motivation to write anything. Lots of drama left me feeling rather... lazy. But I figured I've made you all wait enough, it's time to get back into writing! As such, I'll attempt to post a new chapter every week. I want to see this finished. It's slow, but that's partly because I beta my own works. I'm sorry for making you all wait so long, please forgive me. ;-; 
> 
> I Come Alive is by The Used. An appropriate title for the end of my hiatus, I believe.

For the most part, Link had decided to keep his thoughts to himself. Just as Ghirahim hadn't said anything about what Zero had spoken to him about, Link wouldn't say anything about Icarus. Besides, first they had a war to win before they focussed on their own issues. When all of this was over, the once-hero would find a way to keep things from fragmenting.

Even if the surface wasn't his own world, he was part of it now. He doubted he would be allowed back to Skyloft for siding with the Demon Lord. But if it kept the world from being destroyed, he would accept that punishment. He missed his friends, especially Zelda. Even Groose, to some tiny degree.

As they began to walk again, the early morning sun resting against their backs, he wondered how his childhood friend was faring. Had she forgiven him? Probably not. After all, it was Ghirahim who had torn her from the sky and tried to use her soul to revive Demise. And now Link was close with him – very close indeed, judging from the bitemarks on his neck. Of course she wouldn't forgive him so easily.

Even without saying a word, Zelda had told him he was no longer welcome there. He had known her long enough that they could communicate without saying a word. So, her silent stare had told him everything she felt.

He almost felt like he betrayed her. 

Maybe he had. Maybe she was right, and the Demon Lord was bad news. Maybe that was why the Goddess had forsaken him. But he couldn't deny that he felt... affection... towards the demon. It was strange. They had begun as enemies, doing whatever they could to sabotage each other. Now... perhaps they could even be called lovers. Although Link wasn't too sure if it was love they felt for each other or just a strange sort of companionship. 

They were similar and they did care for each other, albeit in an odd way. The once-hero was starting to find himself truly happy around the demon. The constant threats and familiar taunts were still there, but they were more playful rather than serious.

Link shot a glance at the demon, walking beside him. He remembered the last time they had walked like this. Ghirahim had strode ahead of him, easily moving over twisted roots and small rocks. He never seemed to slip. The hero had almost had to run to keep up with him at times, and he was prone to slipping more than a little.

Now, they walked side by side, paces matched. Perhaps his time in the demon realm had changed him, even more than he knew. But if there was one thing he was glad for, it was that he could now walk proudly beside the Demon Lord.

 

After a while, the demon spoke up. “Skychild. It might be a good idea to part ways, for a while.” he mused, pausing to lean against a tree and fold his arms over his chest. To say the least, Link was surprised to hear that.

“What do you mean?” he asked curiously, turning to look at him properly. The demon seemed rather calm, almost contemplative as he leaned his head back. 

“You should go ahead to warn the rest of the Skyloftians. If we cannot contain this fight, they are going to need to be prepared. They will trust you more than they will trust me, and it would likely be best for myself to stay away from them.” he explained, gesturing towards him with his gloved fingers. “It would be more efficient for you to warn them while I gather what allies I can. When you return, we will be able to fight without you worrying about the safety of your people.”

Link had to admit that the Demon Lord had a point. Unfortunately, he was right. “But if we part ways, won't it be bad for you to be so far from the sword? And what if one of us gets into a fight? We'll be at a disadvantage without the other's help.”

“Not at all. Being away from the sword won't do me any harm, nor will it weaken me. You were able to defeat my master by yourself. I hardly think that you would be at a disadvantage without my help.” then he paused, raising a brow. “Unless you would miss my companionship so much, you'd rather not spend a second without me, skychild? My, my, you warm the cockles of my dead heart, you really do.”

“Alright, fine. I'll go by myself.”

“Then call that bird of yours. You'll move faster that way.” 

With a nod, he put his fingers to his mouth and whistled, calling the loftwing. There was a long moment of silence where he could feel the demon's eyes on him, studying him closely enough to make shivers run down his spine. Even after his time in the demon realm, he still wasn't immune to the other's attentions.

Finally, a responding screech reached him, the magnificent crimson bird dropping down beneath the canopy and landing on a raised tree root, wings flared and extended for balance. Ghirahim eyed the bird with thinly masked displeasure, but didn't comment on it.

The once-hero moved to the bird's side, lifting himself up and positioning himself on its back. With one last look at the Demon Lord, he bowed his head and tangled his fingers in the feathers on the loftwing's neck.

Another loud screech, and he was winging his way towards the Sealed Grounds.

By the time he reached the Sealed Grounds, the sun was already slipping below the horizon. He'd have to wait until morning to travel up to Skyloft, but he could warn the few Skyloftians who had chosen to stay on the surface. The crimson loftwing landed on one of the makeshift perches, allowing the blonde to slip down from its back.

Already, he could feel eyes on him.

“Why are you back?” 

Of course. And now the questioning would begin. So, he turned to the redhead and began to talk, with Groose staring him down the entire time.

 

He ended up explaining everything twice, once for Groose, another time for Zelda. Both times, he felt like he would rather be anywhere but there, with the looks they were giving him. He avoided talking too much about Ghirahim, only vaguely explaining the nature of their relationship when he was questioned about it.

After a while, the duo eventually admitted to believing him. He was once the Goddess' chosen hero, after all. He had no reason to lie to them. So with that, they began preparations for the coming battle.

The Sealed Grounds would be fortified and used as a place for a last stand, if the fighting got out of control. If worst came to worst, they would escape to the sky the moment they began to lose. While they didn't want to forsake the newly discovered surface, they would have no choice if things became too dangerous.

They still didn't trust him. He could tell. They way they looked at him when they thought he wouldn't notice, the looks they shared whenever he mentioned the Demon Lord. He wondered if they had noticed the change the demon realm had wrought upon him, or if he just seemed weary to them.

But they left him for the night once he had finished explaining. For once, he didn't like being alone. He'd never been particularly extroverted, often preferring his own company to the company of others. Now, however, he missed the demon. It was an odd feeling, really.

_“Skychild... do you really miss me so much?”_

The voice that echoed in his head startled him, almost falling over one of the small rocks that littered the Sealed Grounds. He'd been making his way back to his old, temporary home when the voice had startled him. For a long time, the voice was silent, leading him to wonder if he'd just imagined it. Then it spoke again.

_“Or are you just going to ignore me? Really, I thought you were missing me.”_

That brought a smile to his lips as he slipped into his makeshift bed. Of course the demon would continue to harass him, even over such a distance. He wasn't even surprised any more: it was exactly what the demon would do. He gave the demon a brief update on what had occurred before he finally began to doze off, much to Ghirahim's annoyance.

 

 

The Demon Lord later found himself pacing back and forth at the base of Eldin Volcano, his eyes narrowed faintly as he scanned his surroundings for a trace of those strange creatures that burrowed under the ground. Mogmas, he believed they were called. Pesky things, but potentially useful. However, their preference for the underground left him stumped at how to reach them.

Thinking back to his last encounter with them, when his sky child had been caught in the chaos following the eruption of the volcano. His equipment had been lost and stolen by the Bokoblins in the area, and he had used the help of a Mogma to escape from the makeshift prison the Bokoblins had trapped him in. 

Ghirahim hadn't involved himself that time though, finding himself enjoying the spectacle of the boy frantically trying to retrieve his gear, often backtracking and finding himself cornered. He had watched from a distance as his sky child had finally gathered all of his gear and moved on. 

Feeling conflicted, he had been angry at the Bokoblins for being so easily dispatched, yet almost proud of the boy for succeeding despite the odds. 

In the present, he brushed aside those memories, only focusing on one tidbit of information he'd gathered while watching the boy interact with the Mogmas; they had an endless love for shiny things, especially gems. 

A disgusted noise escaped him, but he clicked his fingers anyway. The easiest way to get a Mogma to the surface would be a particularly large and priceless gem. _That should lure out any Mogma nearby. There's no way one of those creatures could resist such a prize. It's not a real gem, but they don't need to know that._

Not long after he had planted the false gem in the dirt several yards away, the ground started to crack and a long snout and several claws began to poke through. A suspicious pair of blue-rimmed eyes gazed up at him, its claws closing around the gem. 

“Yo! It's fake, but you must've wanted me for something.” the Mogma pulled itself half out of the ground, tossing the fake gem towards him before folding its arms and leaning forward. “Wait... didn't I see you before? Following that weird looking guy.”

_Nevertheless, it did work. I almost forgot my dislike for these creatures._ “I do want you for something.” at the Mogma's look of displeasure, he frowned and held up a hand to stop it from continuing to talk. “This isn't just for my sake. It will benefit you too.” That got a curious look from the Mogma. “Do you know the old ruins in the Deep Woods?”

That got an even more curious look. He had the creature's full attention now. “Things in the demon realm are stirring.” he continued. “I want your kind to travel to the ruins, and create traps. It won't be enough to stop them completely, but with your tunnelling skills, it would prove a hindrance and slow them down immensely.”

The Mogma looked at him suspiciously again, raising its snout. “That's awfully far away... Is it really such a big threat?” there was a hint of displeasure in its beady eyes, but it sounded mostly convinced. “Well, I'll talk to some friends and see what we can do.” it huffed, then pointed at him. “You'll owe us though! But we'll make the best traps you've ever seen!”

Judging from the expression the Mogma wore, it was excited at the prospect of being a hindrance to a bunch of demons. “It's a ruin. Who knows what kinds of treasures lay within.” he said simply, guessing that that small tidbit would be enough to fully convince the strange looking creature. 

That got the response he was after. With an excited cry, the Mogma all but threw itself back underground, likely heading in the direction of others of its kind.

The Demon Lord nodded in satisfaction as he watched it disappear back into the earth. _Mogmas are the best diggers, so if they create concealed trenches and pitfalls, the demons will be slowed down. It would be easier to just collapse the ruins, but I don't know if there's another way into the world of the light. Leaving it open gives us the advantage of knowing exactly where they will come through. Now, next the Gorons. _

With a snap of his fingers and a flutter of his cloak, the demon vanished.


	6. Set Your World On Fire

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Set Your World On Fire is by I Will Never Be The Same. I'm also back from my unexpected hiatus! ^^

 

Allies had been gathered, traps had been set. Demons had already escaped the ruins, but their numbers were few, and they were much weaker than the defenders. The sky child slashed his sword through the air, blood splattering the ground beneath him. Rolling his shoulders, he glanced over at the Demon Lord.

Ghirahim was grinning manically, having cut down his last opponent just as Link glanced over. As always, the sword spirit delighted in battle. They had offered to fight with the defenders, but the people of Skyloft still distrusted Link, and they all but resented Ghirahim. No matter what he said to placate them, they refused to listen. Zero and Icarus had joined the fighting for some time, but eventually they had to return to fix the armor and weapons of the defenders.

So they'd gone off on their own, navigating the traps and pitfalls created by the Mogmas, and avoiding boulders that were thrown down the hill above by Gorons. It was a dangerous battlefield, and none but the sky child and his partner dared venture into the chaos. They cut down demons with ease and the occasional band of demon-tainted bokoblins that charged them, all the while dodging boulders. Ghirahim complained endlessly whenever they weren't fighting and even when they were, but the blonde couldn't keep the grin off his face.

He wondered for a moment how he must look as the Demon Lord turned to regard him. Was he spattered with blood, breathing heavily, and looking just as vicious as the taller male? Did he look anything like the Goddess's chosen hero who had defeateed Demise? Brushing the thought aside, he moved to the man's side. “Is that the last of them?” he asked, trying to calm his breathing. It was easier than fighting Ghirahim or Demise, but the battles had been continuing constantly for several days now. He'd already gained several new scars.

With a flamboyant twirl of his wrists, Ghirahim's swords vanished in a shower of diamonds. “Indeed. Judging from the pattern, they'll stay behind the barrier for a while before trying to escape again.” he mused, looking in the direction of the ruins almost wistfully. Obviously, he wasn't satisfied with the amount of bloodshed. But there was something odd about his expression, something the sky child didn't notice.

“This is pointless.” the blonde frowned, kneeling to clean the sword of the ichor that coated the blade. “We keep killing them, but they're endless. It's already been over a week and they haven't even slowed down! At this rate, they'll just overwhelm us one by one.” he groaned in frustration.

The demon was silent for a painfully long moment, studying the ruins. He shared the boy's sentiments, of course, but what could they do about it? Demons were massing on the other side of the ruins, and if they even had a leader guiding them. But their movements were chaotic – if they did have a leader, they were doing a terrible job of leading.

“Sky child...” he began, folding his arms over his chest as he began to speak. His tone was slow as though he was thinking out loud, formulating a plan as he spoke. He paused suddenly, a wicked smirk coming to his lips. He was obviously thinking of something dastardly, but whatever it was, he didn't plan on sharing the details.

Link barely had time to open his mouth to ask what was happening when the Demon Lord materialized behind him and grasped his wrists firmly, tugging them behind his back and binding his arms with some sort of silken rope. “Ghirahim, what are you--” his words cut off suddenly as the man tied a second piece around his mouth, effectively gagging him. His glare couldn't begin to convey his fury as he struggled to free himself.

The demon simply smiled at him and grabbed him by the shoulder, lightly shoving him in the direction of the ruins. “I should've thought of this earlier. I am a Demon Lord, after all. It wouldn't be too surprising to return with a prisoner.”

“ _What the hell are you planning, you flamboyant bastard? A prisoner? These monsters are stupid, why would they care if you have a prisoner?”_ the sky child demanded through their mental connection.

“Because if someone is controlling these monsters, they'd be a little suspicious if I returned, with you walking free beside me. Just... trust me.” he said simply. “I have an idea. I've been working it out for the past two days. It'll work.”

Still glaring at him, the blonde squirmed against the ropes and grumbled against the gag as they walked towards the ruins. He would've been exceptionally unhappy, but the feeling of the demon's hand on his back was surprisingly comforting, and he resisted the urge to struggle too much. He'd get him back for this later, but he knew the demon wouldn't do something so bold without a plan.

 

They passed through the barrier with ease, only to emerge into a horde of the monsters they'd just been fighting. However, they didn't attack. They seemed to recognize the tall demon, and simply shifted out of his way with muted whispers and growls – nothing the once-hero could understand, anyway.

One of the mutated bokoblins stepped forward, growling and chattering in its odd language before pointing towards a large building, then gesturing angrily at the duo. Link continued to glare at the creatures, but they ignored him mostly, aside from the occasional jeer.

Ghirahim nodded, seeming to understand the creature. Dragging the smaller male along after him, he made his way towards the building. _“They're not impressed... but they're willing to believe you're my prisoner. Of course, you'll have to act the part.”_ he sounded amused as he spoke, but his face was blank and his inner thoughts were firmly shielded against the boy. _“Just act as though you're still chasing that Goddess girl of yours, and I'm standing in your way again. That shouldn't be too hard.”_

Link gave the equivalent of a mental shrug in response as they neared what could only be described as a palace, decrepit as it was. It was more grand than the mansion they had called home before the demon realm began to stir, but its age certainly showed. It looked older than the ruins of the surface, and a malicious aura seemed to be emanating from it. Whatever it had been built for, it was nothing but evil now.

They were barely three feet from the large double doors when they swung open with a loud screech of rusted metal, a tall man emerging. His skin was as pale as Ghirahim's, but his eyes were a fierce black – even the whites. “Interesting... I'll take the thing down to the holding cell. You can go now.” he said derisively, boredom lacing his voice. Link practically bristled at being called a thing.

Ghirahim frowned, but the boy beside him could feel the demon curse mentally at the sight of the man. An unexpected element? “I captured him, don't I even get to torture him a little? He was near the ruins, he might have important information. I'm sure you've heard how persuasive I can be.” he grinned maliciously, the expression sending shivers through the bound sky child – not shivers of fear.

The man gazing at them seemed to be looking through them, but he shrugged. “I have my orders, and those are to take the boy down to the cell until further notice.” he said bluntly, reaching out a hand and gesturing for the other demon to hand over the boy. “You can torture him later. Once we're through with him, you can do what you like with him.”

“Vigil, you wound me.” the sword spirit cried dramatically, twirling a gloved hand before resting it over his heart. “He's done nothing but blabber the entire time I dragged him here. He got so annoying, I even had to gag him. I thought he'd drive me insane before I even reached the ruins. Won't you let me take out my frustration on him? I'll make sure he doesn't die, of course.”

The demon – Vigil, as Ghirahim had named him – simply shook his head. “I don't disobey my orders, _Demon Lord Ghirahim_. Leave or join the fight, you have no more say in what goes on here. Not since Demise was defeated. It amazes me that you still have the audacity to call yourself that ridiculous name, when you couldn't defeat a single boy.” he sneered.

Ghirahim's tawny eyes were blazing with fury and bloodlust, solely directed at the other demon. Link could tell things weren't going the way the male had expected, and the demon was relying on his reputation as Demise's sword spirit. But somehow, Vigil already knew that Demise was no more.

The Demon Lord had previously told Link that few in the demonic realm knew of what had transpired in the land of the Goddess, and he had been confident in that belief. So how did Vigil know? Now that they were here, they couldn't just leave – they'd have to cross a horde of monsters to return through the ruins.

Finally, he smirked and wrapped a gloved hand around Link's throat, enough to smother his breathing slightly. Making a show of gasping and struggling, the boy tried to free himself from the man's tight grasp. Ignoring him, the Demon Lord unbelted the sheath the boy wore, tugging the sword free.

He blocked the sky child's mental questioning, and pushed him forward so he almost crashed into the waiting demon. “Take him then. I'll take this blade as my prize, and take my leave. But I will take him back, once you're finished toying with him.” he laughed, snapping his fingers.

But he didn't vanish. He frowned, glancing at his hand and snapping his fingers again. Vigil watched smugly, head tilted to the side. Ghirahim snarled, materializing his own sword and raising it. “You are the most annoying man I've ever met, Vigil. More annoying than the boy here. Especially those defective powers of yours.” that finally broke the stranger's cool composure, his lips twisting into a grimace.

“Ghirahim... my orders are the only reason I won't fight you.” he said coldly, glancing between him and the bound sky child. Suddenly, he smiled and flicked his fingers, and Ghirahim vanished.

Vigil shook his head and resumed his calm expression, glad he was gone. But before Link even react, he was being dragged inside roughly – likely in the direction of the holding cell. _What the hell?_ He was definitely panicking at this point. Had Ghirahim misjudged the situation here? The two men obviously knew each other and there was obviously some sort of rivalry between them, but he couldn't begin to guess why. Doubt filled him, and for the first time since he'd been forsaken by his Goddess, he wished she was still with him.

 

The cell was practically empty. A pile of what was probably rotten straw lay in a corner, possibly intended to be a bed. He had been stripped of his remaining weapons and pouches, leaving him in his shirt and trousers. At least they'd let him keep his boots. A knife was hidden inside it, carefully concealed, but from the small glimpse of the palace, the place was filled with monsters. A single knife wouldn't give him any kind of advantage. Without help, he didn't have much of a chance to escape.

_Damn you, Ghirahim! I was a fool to agree to this! You had better be planning a way to get me out of here, or when I come out, I'll kill you myself!_ He ranted angrily inside his mind, pacing back and forth across the stone floor of the cell. What was he supposed to do? His Goddess had left him, Ghirahim had been spirited away to Goddess-knows-where, and his friends didn't even know he was gone. If he could still call them friends. They didn't seem to care much for him lately, after his relationship with the Demon Lord had been brought to light. Maybe they had been right.

Exhaustion got the better of him and he slumped against the wall, sliding down to sit on the floor. The room was unpleasantly damp and cold, especially without his armor. He could do nothing for now, but hope the demon had some kind of plan to get him out of there.

 

“ _Are you still moping around in there?”_ a voice whispered into his mind, startling him awake. He had fallen asleep with his arms around his knees and his back against the wall, and now his body screamed in displeasure from the uncomfortable position. _“Helloooo.”_

“ _Ghirahim!”_ he sat bolt upright, eyes widening as his sleepiness faded away rapidly. _“What took you so long? What are you planning?”_

“ _Ghira..? No, this is me. Zero.”_ the voice responded, sounding almost insulted. _“Isn't he with you? Wait, no. Why are you even here to begin with? Ghirahim should've known taking you here would be a terrible idea. Things have changed since you two came back to the realm of light.”_

Link slumped back against the wall, shaking his head. Perhaps it was the damp, but he felt rather miserable. _“I don't know... he said he'd pretend I was his prisoner, and then some demon showed up – Vigil, Ghirahim said – and I think he teleported Ghirahim away somewhere. They stuck me in a cell, and now I'm trapped. They took all my weapons too... how are you talking to me?”_ he was baffled.

“ _They didn't take all of them. You have something of mine, otherwise I'd never even know you were here. But Vigil... he's a nasty fellow. Looked up to Ghirahim, and if he knows what happened with Demise... He won't be too friendly to either of you.”_ she explained. _“But that's not important now. You know how to get out of there?”_

“ _Please tell me you have an entire army out there to rescue me.”_

“ _Unfortunately, it's just me. I had to leave Icarus behind. This place is full of demons, isn't it? Well, there's no way to say this easily... But you'll just have to survive until we can get you out of there. I'm strong, but if that is Vigil you met, I can't beat him. His powers are defective. He can't teleport himself like Ghirahim and I can, but he can do it to others. There's nothing you can do but wait. If you get the chance to escape, go. Find somewhere safe, and don't lose whatever it is of mine you have. I'll be able to find you eventually.”_

“ _Zero...”_ he paused, the sound of footsteps echoing outside his cell. _“Someone's coming. Zero? Zero...?”_ when there was no response, he cursed internally and lifted his head, eyes on the heavy cell door. There was a heavy clanking sound, and the door swung open; oddly silent, compared to the rusty front door.

Vigil stood there, bottomless black eyes fixed on the boy – or more accurately, looking through him. “You made a mistake coming here. To think you would come right to us, especially beside that failure.” he shook his head slowly, closing the door behind him. From the hallway, there was a laugh that sounded oddly familiar, but the door had swung shut before Link could get a glimpse of who it was.

 

* * *

 

_Ghirahim found himself in the middle of nowhere. Barren land surrounded him, reminding him of his time chasing the spirit maiden through Lanayru Desert. He'd hated it then, and he hated it now. Clicking his tongue, he glanced down at the sword he still held. He was just glad he'd managed to take it before Vigil made him disappear. Of course, it left Link without a sword and without a way to speak to him, but he was confident._

_What a strange feeling, that confidence._

_He knew the boy would find a way to survive. He always had. He'd faced impossible odds constantly, and always come out on top. He'd fought Demise and won! They'd been enemies for so long, but he couldn't restrain those feelings of pride whenever the sky child succeeded in a difficult battle or solved a challenging puzzle._

_Now, the feeling was different. He wasn't proud of a strong opponent who could challenge him. He was proud of... his equal? He didn't know. He was a sword spirit, he wasn't used to caring about anything other than himself and battle._

_He clicked his fingers, but he still couldn't teleport. The sky child had called it his “clicky thing”, and he'd always been annoyed by the name. But now he was alone, he found himself missing the boy._

_Letting out a sigh, he began to walk across the desolate ground. Link... his sky child... he would survive, and he would escape. A faint smile crossed his pale lips at the thought that by the time he got back – whether he had to resort to walking or whether his powers returned – perhaps Link would have already escaped. Knowing him, he'd have singlehandedly defeated all the demons and Vigil himself._

_Surprised by his trust in the boy, he laughed out loud._

“ _Leave some for me, sky child. Grasp my blade and we'll cut them down – together!”_

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh god I'm so sorry. Too many things happened and I lost all motivation for writing, especially writing this. But I get notifications for comments and kudos and I felt bad for leaving it half finished. So I manned up and I sat down and reread it, and worked out where it will go. I had to do a timeskip though, since it was either that or rewrite the whole thing. It might be a little shaky to begin with, but I'll try to balance it out and make it better! I'm aiming for weekly updates, and I hope you all enjoy it as much as you did the first part ^^ I edit my own work as always, so please forgive any mistakes!


	7. Mercy

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Mercy is by Hurts ^^

Vigil leaned against the closed – and presumably locked – door, his arms folded across his chest. He looked younger than Ghirahim, but there was something about him that seemed... more sadistic, if that was even possible. But unlike the sword spirit who delighted in wounding and being wounded, this man seemed to exist only to cause suffering in others. There was something about him that almost physically repulsed Link, making him want to cringe away.

“You're interesting. What are you?”

The question made the boy blink, eyes wide and betraying his surprise. What was he? A sky child. The Goddess's abandoned hero. A child of the light. Ghirahim's... partner, his lover, his companion. But he guessed that wasn't what the demon was asking. So he answered honestly. “I don't know.” he said simply.

Studying him for a painfully long moment, the tall man shrugged delicately. He was rather skinny with only the faintest trace of muscle, but his arrogant attitude hinted at greater ability... or perhaps just a lack of care. “You're not from this realm. But there's something demonic about you. Where did you come from?” despite his questions, he seemed like the answer didn't matter at all.

Now he paused. He could have been honest, and admitted that he was from the other side of the ruins, from the realm of light. That he had spent some time in this realm, which would explain the confusion. But it wouldn't help him get out of this situation. Glancing at his bare and unmarked left hand, he lied. “I'm from here originally. I've... been away for some time.” his tone dismissive, he shrugged in response. “I got bored here, so I wandered. Found myself on the other side of the ruins.”

Vigil's expression gave nothing away as he walked towards him, kneeling down before him. With his eyes only inches away, it was impossible to look anywhere but at those devouring black holes. Spellbound, thoughts of fighting the demon fled from his mind as though he was possessed.

The demon rose a brow curiously and reached out to him, tugging down the collar of his shirt to reveal the bandage wrapped around his chest. “You're injured?” he asked, but he didn't wait for a reply before slipping his fingers under the bandage and tearing it apart to reveal the flesh beneath.

Several scars littered his skin – most of them from Ghirahim, embarrassingly – but a half-healed series of claw marks from where a bokoblin had gotten in a lucky hit. But that recent injury wasn't what held the demon's attention. Tilting his head, he ran his fingers over a scar in the shape of a bitemark on his collarbone. A smirk twisting his lips, the demon stood up. “A prisoner? More like his pet.” he laughed.

The blood rushed to his cheeks, his face going pink all the way up to the tips of his pointed ears. He hadn't gotten used to hearing that sort of talk from Ghirahim, let alone strangers. If someone like Zelda had said that to him, he probably would've died of embarrassment. He quickly pulled his shirt up to cover it, then tossed the torn bandage aside. But he didn't argue or correct the demon's assumption; it was safer for him to be considered a pet rather than a lover. If they could even be called lovers. Their relationship was rather odd, after all.

The demon laughed, shaking his head. “So the great _Demon Lord Ghirahim_ takes a weak little boy as his pet after failing his master. No wonder you let him bind you. That much was obvious; your struggling was hardly convincing. Tell me, boy, do you enjoy it when he hurts you? Would you follow him to the grave?” he teased. For the first time since they had met, the demon had fully removed his calm and collected façade to reveal the fiendish interior. “How much time did you spend through the barrier? You barely even smell demonic.”

Link spoke instantly, not wanting the male to even consider that he might be lying. “I met Ghirahim there. He said he was chasing some maiden or other, but I can't see the appeal in someone from the realm of light.” he pulled a face, as though the idea disgusted him. “I've been there for quite some time, it's not surprising that I don't smell demonic anymore. It would seem the light has some interesting effects on demons.” he mused.

Vigil studied him again, clearly still amused at the thought of the boy being Ghirahim's pet. “He hasn't changed. He's still annoyingly flamboyant, and he has terrible taste. But at least he chose a reasonably attractive pet. I wonder, though... how loyal are you?” he murmured.

The blonde gazed up at him calmly, but he had to resist the urge to shiver as he met the demon's unusual eyes. “I won't betray him.” the demon's eyes narrowed suspiciously, and he hastily continued. “He's entertaining. I'm not done with him yet. It's hard to find someone so fun to play with, and he is rather skilled.” he was basically talking out of his ass at this point, since his only knowledge of demons came from Ghirahim – who seemed to be a weirdo amongst his own kind – and Zero – who was a hermit and equally crazy. Hopefully the demon watching him like a starving cat wouldn't find out his lies and try to devour him.

“And yet I doubt you know him well. That failure likes to play with his food before eating it.” what a poorly timed metaphor. “He's like the birds here. They chase their prey until it collapses from exhaustion, and then they swoop in for the kill. He'll tear you apart. Well... if he doesn't fail at that too.” he snickered. But his words lingered in the boy's mind, making him hesitate. Ghirahim _was_ a demon.

Thankfully, the demon sighed and moved to the door. “My orders are to leave you here for the time being. You'll be the first to know if that changes.” the male gave him a look that hinted at something darker, something like... hunger. But then the door was swinging closed and was locked once more, and he practically sighed in relief. His lies had been believed, but he wasn't sure he could keep it up forever.

He was hungry but he didn't think he'd be brought food any time soon. Last time he'd been in the demon realm, his appetite had gradually lessened, to the point where he was only hungry every few days. Hopefully, he'd be able to last for a while without eating. Trying to escape would be impossible if he was weak from hunger.

 

* * *

 

Ghirahim was furious. It had been almost a full day since he'd been teleported to the far side of nowhere. He was outraged. There was nothing in sight but barren land, and he was sick with anger!He didn't mind walking, but he hated that he had no choice but to walk. If he had known Vigil would be there, he would've taken his sky child and escaped to the furthest reaches of the surface, far away from the ruins and any demon that might come through.

As far as he had known, Vigil had disappeared before he had begun to hunt the Goddess's maiden. They had known each other, but he wouldn't call them friends. Merely associates who knew _of_ each other, but knew little more than that. However, he had known of the demon's defective abilities. There were few who didn't know, and it had always been a sore spot for the man.

Clicking his tongue, he glared up at the jagged cliff face. It wasn't impossibly high, but without his powers, he would have to resort to _climbing it_. A distasteful grimace on his lips, he glanced at the sword he still held. He snapped his fingers again to see if his powers had returned, to no avail. A weary and dramatic sigh escaped him and he promised to kill Vigil for what was probably the tenth time in five minutes.

He lowered his center of gravity and bent his knees before leaping up suddenly, his free hand catching an outcrop of stone. Without slowing, he used the momentum to rise onto the ledge. There was a faint strain in his arm and shoulder, and he glanced down at the sword he held. _Perhaps... it's worth a try..._

Ghirahim wrapped his fingers around the sword, shivering faintly at the odd sensation. It felt as though he'd reached inside his own body and grasped his spine. The feeling didn't bother him at all when it was someone else wielding his blade, but a sword spirit wasn't meant to wield their own sword. It was fundamentally _wrong_.

But stubborn as ever, he slid the scabbard down by an inch, just enough to reveal the blade itself. It would be enough, even if it felt unpleasant. Drawing on his own power, he allowed his gloves to fade in a shower of diamonds. The skin beneath immediately hardened and darkened, thin black lines creeping up his shoulders and onto his jaw.

Adjusting his grip on the sword so it stayed partially out of the scabbard, he readied himself before leaping up again. With the metallic change, it was much easier to scale the side of the cliff face.

Within minutes, he pulled himself onto the flat ground atop the cliff and allowed his arms to return to supple flesh instead of cool metal. A startled critter screeched in surprise and threw its meal to the ground, turning to scamper away. His anger got the better of him and he swung around, feeling the satisfying crunch as his foot connected with the creature. Its pitiful screech followed it down the cliff, and he turned away with a smile. Petty, but immensely cathartic. Now if only he could bring Vigil here and do the same to him...

His mood had improved, and he continued his trek with a soft hum.

 

Of course, the realm seemed to be conspiring against him. Less than an hour later, the sky turned a heavy black and rain began to fall in heavy drops. The Demon Lord raised his head to glare at the clouds as he formed a diamond-shaped barrier above himself to keep the water off. He was definitely sulking now, even more so since he couldn't simply teleport back to his sky child.

After this adventure, he was going to take the boy and find some deserted island somewhere where nothing would interrupt them. Thoughts of what he'd do with the boy all to himself filled his mind, and his smile returned. A tiny part of his mind was amused at how fluid and rapidly-changing his emotions were, but he brushed it off.

He couldn't stab the sky to make it stop raining, so there was no point getting mad at it. Instead, he'd turn his rage to the one who had put him in this predicament in the first place – someone he _could_ stab.

So mired in his thoughts he was that he barely even noticed the final insult – the channel of mud that had begun to form in front of him. Eyes narrowed, he growled softly under his breath. Killing Vigil, even if he took his time and tore him apart, probably wouldn't satisfy him now. He might even end up taking the remainder of his rage out on his sky child. Not that the boy would complain; he'd make sure he enjoyed it.

As soon as he came to the other side of the mud, he sensed a presence watching him. “There's no use hiding, I already know you're there.” he said dryly in the direction of a scraggly, half-dead shrub, his words somewhat drowned out by the rain. “What are you doing out here?”

Out stepped a figure wrapped in a heavy cloak and soaked to the bone, looking downright miserable. “Searching. I need your help.” the male said tentatively, watching him warily. “And maybe you could do with some help yourself.” he added.

A smile came to the demon's lips, and he gestured for the male to continue. What an interesting turn of events.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's almost Christmas, so I hope you all enjoy the holidays!


End file.
